The ministers from the Intergovernmental Authority on
Development (IGAD) responsible for agriculture and land
said that they are eager to implement effective regional
land governance programs that will enhance regional
integration necessary to achieve broader social,
economic and environmental goals.

“We hereby consider and endorse the IGAD Land Governance
Strategy and the Strategy to Mainstream Land Governance
into programs and projects as well as those of member
states,” they said in a joint communique released in
Nairobi.

The ministers from Djibouti, Ethiopia, Somalia, Kenya,
South Sudan, Sudan and Uganda also considered and
adopted the IGAD Land Governance Business Plan 2019-2023
and committed member states to mobilize domestic
financial resources for its implementation.

They noted that over 80 percent of land in the IGAD
member states was under customary or informal tenure.

The trade bloc also undertook to strengthen land
resource monitoring systems as well as coordinate
efforts towards the sustainable management and
utilization of shared natural resources.

The Horn of Africa bloc also committed to harmonizing
existing national plans of action for marginal lands and
dry lands management and also ensure control of land
degradation in line with the resolution of Urgent Action
for Africa under the United Nations Convention to Combat
Desertification.

They also committed to take special measures in support
of countries that have not advanced in the development
of national policies, legislative and institutional
frameworks on land.

The regional bloc reaffirmed commitment to allocating
adequate budgetary resources for national land policy
development and implementation processes, including the
monitoring of progress.

Gideon Mung’aro, Kenya’s Chief Administrative Secretary
in the ministry of lands and physical planning, said
that the strategy and IGAD Mainstreaming strategy of
Land Governance in the region are important frameworks
that should be supported and endorsed for use in the
region.

“Through the strategies, member states will enhance
leveraging of internal capacities in further improving
land governance in the region and agree on key values,
principles and standards that will foster the
strengthening of land governance in the region,” he
added.

The Kenyan official noted that IGAD is one of the
regional economic communities that is spearheading
improvement of land governance through the
implementation of the mandate under the AU declaration.

“We also welcome donor support in this effort but also
urge member states to increase their national budgets on
land to achieve sustainability of systems and land
reforms,” the ministry official said.

He observed that IGAD member states are at different
levels of implementation of the AU declaration on land.